The Zimbabwe National Army is set to evict over 100 people in Rufuka village in Manicaland who settled some 36 years ago. The army says the villagers settled on a military cantonment and should vacate by 30 June or be evicted.
3 Brigade commander, Brigadier General George Chitsva, wrote a letter dated 7 May to Rufuka Village 14B villagers notifying them on the army’s intention to evict them in the case that they do not vacate on their own. “You are expected to comply by vacating the cantonment area by June 30, 2020 or face forceful removal. Please cooperate and comply.”
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The villagers argue that the army only got allocated the land in 2003.
“This letter serves to remind you that you must vacate from Wengezi Military Training Area by June 30, 2020. “The area is reserved exclusively for military use as provided in the Government Gazette No 82 of 2003,”
Stephen Choto a representative of the villagers said they were shocked by the army threats as they were lawfully resettled by the government in four years after the guerrilla war in 1984. He says each family was allocated 12 acres of land and they successfully built a school in the area.
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